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He said: “My daughter’s emotional support is here. I’ve got to keep her here. She’s stable in school, she has a normal life now.

“All my hard work I’ve done to get her into that life is being thrown back in my face. I would have to start again. I also look after my son every day, when his mum’s at work, so I can’t just leave him behind.”

The 29-year-old, who works part-time as a waiter and barman at Aziz Express in the Ozone Leisure Park, Oxford, said: “It wouldn’t be so bad if it was somewhere like Abingdon or Witney, that’s close by, but Birmingham’s miles away.”

In the past year the council has offered 12 families homes outside of the county with just four accepting, including two in Birmingham.

Tenants do not have to go, but if they refuse they are then responsible for finding their own accommodation. They can appeal the decision and an independent officer decides if the decision is necessary.

Council leader Bob Price blamed the cap on housing benefit and lack of affordable homes for the situation.

He said: “The question is, can we find accommodation within the Local Housing Allowance? We are in a difficult housing situation. There is a very significant shortage of houses in Oxford and very high prices.”

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The city council pledged to continue to work with the family.

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Comments (8)

Don't blame the council, its this Tory toff goverment that is causing all this heartbreak. Many families have to move out of homes that they have lived in all their life to pay for the tax cuts to the Tories rich friends.Sounds like something that happened in 1943.

Don't blame the council, its this Tory toff goverment that is causing all this heartbreak. Many families have to move out of homes that they have lived in all their life to pay for the tax cuts to the Tories rich friends.Sounds like something that happened in 1943.HomerSimpsonDoh

Don't blame the council, its this Tory toff goverment that is causing all this heartbreak. Many families have to move out of homes that they have lived in all their life to pay for the tax cuts to the Tories rich friends.Sounds like something that happened in 1943.

Score: -12

skylukewalker says...9:41am Fri 30 May 14

No one is telling him he has to move to Birmingham, he is simply being offered subsidised housing in Birmingham. The council is being very generous in its offer of a safe and affordable home in a new city with greater employment opportunities than Oxford. Yes, moving away from home can be difficult and even distressing, but many working families face this everyday and often without the assistance from the council. Children of military families receive no such sob stories when they are obliged to move all over the country.

No one is telling him he has to move to Birmingham, he is simply being offered subsidised housing in Birmingham. The council is being very generous in its offer of a safe and affordable home in a new city with greater employment opportunities than Oxford. Yes, moving away from home can be difficult and even distressing, but many working families face this everyday and often without the assistance from the council. Children of military families receive no such sob stories when they are obliged to move all over the country.skylukewalker

No one is telling him he has to move to Birmingham, he is simply being offered subsidised housing in Birmingham. The council is being very generous in its offer of a safe and affordable home in a new city with greater employment opportunities than Oxford. Yes, moving away from home can be difficult and even distressing, but many working families face this everyday and often without the assistance from the council. Children of military families receive no such sob stories when they are obliged to move all over the country.

Score: 3

HomerSimpsonDoh says...10:02am Fri 30 May 14

Military families know this when they join up. Stupid comparison.

Military families know this when they join up. Stupid comparison.HomerSimpsonDoh

Military families know this when they join up. Stupid comparison.

Score: 0

oufcboyce says...10:41am Fri 30 May 14

HomerSimpsonDoh wrote…

Military families know this when they join up. Stupid comparison.

Exactly, ridiculous comparison, also If you bother to look at the figures you'll find unemployment levels in Birmingham are far higher Oxford, so the idea of great employment opportunities there is nonsense as well.

[quote][p][bold]HomerSimpsonDoh[/bold] wrote:
Military families know this when they join up. Stupid comparison.[/p][/quote]Exactly, ridiculous comparison, also If you bother to look at the figures you'll find unemployment levels in Birmingham are far higher Oxford, so the idea of great employment opportunities there is nonsense as well.oufcboyce

HomerSimpsonDoh wrote…

Military families know this when they join up. Stupid comparison.

Exactly, ridiculous comparison, also If you bother to look at the figures you'll find unemployment levels in Birmingham are far higher Oxford, so the idea of great employment opportunities there is nonsense as well.

Score: 1

piper2011 says...3:16pm Fri 30 May 14

you have the wrong surname, sir.

you have the wrong surname, sir.piper2011

you have the wrong surname, sir.

Score: -2

riman09 says...8:42pm Fri 30 May 14

Unbelievable, considering how many other Oxfordshire towns lie between Oxford and Birmingham! Imagine the effects on this family of the media reported dire state of council and children's services in Birmingham. Surely somebody in council has brains to realise what they are doing? Or is that asking for too much?

Unbelievable, considering how many other Oxfordshire towns lie between Oxford and Birmingham! Imagine the effects on this family of the media reported dire state of council and children's services in Birmingham.
Surely somebody in council has brains to realise what they are doing? Or is that asking for too much?riman09

Unbelievable, considering how many other Oxfordshire towns lie between Oxford and Birmingham! Imagine the effects on this family of the media reported dire state of council and children's services in Birmingham. Surely somebody in council has brains to realise what they are doing? Or is that asking for too much?

Score: -5

Doctor69 says...9:02pm Fri 30 May 14

Be proactive and search for a property yourself! Plenty available for £850.....just might mean you have to move out of Central Oxford. People want everything given to them on a plate. I wish someone would pay my bills for me!

Be proactive and search for a property yourself! Plenty available for £850.....just might mean you have to move out of Central Oxford.
People want everything given to them on a plate. I wish someone would pay my bills for me!Doctor69

Be proactive and search for a property yourself! Plenty available for £850.....just might mean you have to move out of Central Oxford. People want everything given to them on a plate. I wish someone would pay my bills for me!

Score: 7

boots17 says...11:42pm Fri 30 May 14

Good luck to anyone who can find an agent who takes housing benefit at LHA rate

Good luck to anyone who can find an agent who takes housing benefit at LHA rateboots17

Good luck to anyone who can find an agent who takes housing benefit at LHA rate

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